|

|

Mojang wants Minecraft Pocket to improve organically

Minecraft: Pocket Edition will be expanding, but even Mojang business developer Daniel Kaplan can't say the exact form it will take by the time the company releases version 1.0.

Minecraft spent years on the PC slowly evolving and adding features to its current state. When Mojang Specifications released Minecraft Pocket, it was more akin to the early days of the game than a sign of all the progress since. Business developer Daniel Kaplan isn't sure how the mobile version will evolve, but says the goal isn't to make it a direct copy of the PC version.

Kaplan bluntly told Gamasutra that he doesn't know what version 1.0 of Minecraft Pocket will look like. He says that the goal is to give players a variety of platforms for Minecraft, "but also to update the game in a way that fits the audience."

That means Minecraft Pocket is essentially starting from scratch, and Mojang plans to update based on the demand they see. If a feature makes sense for the mobile version but not the PC version, the company isn't trying for complete parity. Kaplan says differences "will be revealed as we move forward... It is still in an early state and I don't want to promise anything at this point." Though the company invites community involvement, he notes that "in the end it is our call."

For now, Mojang can only promise that the iOS and Android versions will be on par with each other. Any slight timing differences will come from the submission process. Previously, the company has promised the addition of Survival mode, a crafting system engineered for touch, and generated caves.

Steve Watts

Editor-In-Chief

Steve Watts' youthful memories are are a blur of pixels, princesses, castles, and Mega Busters. After writing about games as a pastime for years, he got his first shot at a paid gig at 1UP. He's freelanced for several sites since then, and found a friendly home at Shacknews. His editorial duties include news, reviews, features, and lunatic ravings. He lives in the Baltimore-Washington area with his shockingly understanding wife.